Mariah Carey Returns with Sultry New Single, “GTFO” (Review)

Following last year’s highly underrated “I Don’t,” featuring “Big Bank” rapper YG, Mariah Carey has returned with her first solo single in three years. The sexy R&B midtempo perfectly positions Mariah in today’s R&B landscape. Light, airy vocals flutter over a backdrop of skittering beats and atmospheric production. Most importantly, the song is quintessential Mariah: her inimitable whisper vocals and layered harmonies expertly elevate the simple message of the song.

The kiss-off anthem, written by Bibi Bourelly and Mariah, herself, exudes a confident cool that few other vocalists could pull off. Taken at face value, the song is just good. Taken in the context of Mariah’s discography, this is yet another tasteful part of her musical evolution. The trap and alternative-R&B influences don’t sound forced, and the vocal stylings don’t mimic recent trends like vowel-breaking. “GTFO” is a great single for Mariah to get her bearings in today’s music landscape and tease her upcoming fifteenth studio album.